Sofia Garbe

Your crazy wild hair. Your beautiful eyes. Your freckles that covered your face like sprinkles. Your contagious laugh. Your humor. Your pure heart. Your kind words. These are just a small taste of the many ways we will remember you.

You have left an enormous hole in all of our hearts. Sofia will forever be the core of so many memories, so many laughs, and so many jokes. If you were blessed to have known her, you would know that our sweet girl radiated nothing but warmth, kindness, and sincerity. She was warm like hot laundry just out of the dryer. She was down to earth just as you would expect a soulful, gypsy, wild child to be. She lived to the beat of her own drum.

Sofia lived sixteen wonderful years on this Earth— of course way too short, and we are devastated—but who was Sofia and how would she want us to feel?

Sofia is the color yellow, the color blue, the color purple, a dash of pink, and a sprinkle of red. She is lightning in a bottle, but as soft as cashmere, and as gentle as a calm wave. She is fire and she is rain. She is a world traveler. She is no shoes. She is no hairbrush. She is T-shirt and baggy sweatpants. She left you guessing on how late into the afternoon she would brush her teeth. She is summer and winter rolled into one. She is pizza in bed with no plate or napkins. She will continue to be these things to us.

She loved the ocean and the outdoors. She loved watching Criminal Minds, UFO documentaries, conspiracy theories, and Glee with subtitles and the volume blasting. She only drank Diet Coke and hated condiments, so no ketchup for her chicky nuggies. She burned sage and loved her essential oils. She journaled, poured her heart onto page after page, read countless books all while staying in the same sweatshirt — and sometimes sweatpants— that she had been in for at least 3 days. Her McDonalds order was a Diet Coke, ten piece nugget, fries, and a McChicken. She kept food in her pockets in case she got hungry. On any given day, you could find loose fries, a fried chicken wing or drumstick, and/or a ramen noodle packet in her pockets. She lived so freely and was unapologetically herself.

Sofia let herself feel every emotion. She journaled, and she sang, and she read, and she danced, and she journaled some more. For our family, we know that she would let us be sad, we know that she would let us cry on her if she was still here. She would encourage us to feel our brokenness. But she would also tell us to move. She would understand that we may not be able to fly or jump or run right now, but Sofia would want us to take a baby step, a crawl, a limp forward when we are ready. Sofia will forever be our stubborn fighter, and we will honor that part of her.

Sofia was sixteen in physical years, but emotionally and mentally pushing at least sixty years. Because of this factor, you will find that she was her friends’ therapist, our family’s rock when we needed someone to talk to or listen without judgement, and always offered such amazing wise advice that would make anyone second guess her age. We have no doubt that she is the greatest gift our family will ever have and we are beyond appreciative for our sixteen years with her. She was here long enough to touch us in so many beautiful ways and her spirit, her voice, and the sound of her laughter will never disappear.

Sofia was able to see the beauty in everyone, no matter what. She chose to look beyond people’s imperfections and scars. Her grace and unconditional love for the world is something we all can learn from. It’s quite humbling to acknowledge that a sixteen year old lived with more compassion, fire, and soul than most adults will ever have.

On earth, Sofia was a daughter, a baby sister, a friend, a granddaughter, a cousin, a niece, a student, a writer, a singer, and a fast-food enthusiast. In spirit, Sofia is the air we breathe, the ocean we swim in, the breeze in the trees, the sunlight during golden hour, the moonlight at night, in the songs the birds sing, and in our hearts.

We love you Sofia. Our sweet angel, we have no doubt that you will soar the way you soared on Earth.

With hugs, kisses, and so much love,

Dad, Mom, Nick, Abilene, Caelyn, Mojo, Kona, Sibby, Kitty, and Mushy (The People’s Champion)

[Sofia Garbe, age 16, of Lindenhurst, New York passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2020. Sofia was born February 4, 2004 in Concord, MA to Melanie Garbe and Kevin Garbe.

Sofia is survived by father Kevin Garbe and mother Melanie Garbe; brother Nick Garbe, sister Evelis Garbe and sister Caelyn Garbe; grandmother Eileen Garbe and grandmother Deborah Fontana.

Sofia was preceded in death by grandfather Richard Garbe, and grandfather Joseph Fontana.

Friends and family may visit at the Claude R. Boyd-Spencer Funeral Home, 448 West Main St. Babylon Villager, NY on Monday and Tuesday 2:00pm to 4:30pm and 7:00pm to 9:30pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday 9:45am at Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC Church, Lindenhurst, NY.

Cremation for Sofia will be private.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Boyd-Spencer.com for the Garbe family.]